Catch-22

Or catch-22

[kach-twen-tee-too]

noun

plural

Catch-22's, Catch-22s 

1. a frustrating situation in which one is trapped by contradictory regulations or conditions.

2. any illogical or paradoxical problem or situation; dilemma.

3. a condition, regulation, etc., preventing the resolution of a problem or situation; catch.

catch-22

noun

1. a situation in which a person is frustrated by a paradoxical rule or set of circumstances that preclude any attempt to escape from them

2. a situation in which any move that a person can make will lead to trouble

Catch-22

1. (1961) A war novel by the American author Joseph Heller. “Catch-22” is a provision in army regulations; it stipulates that a soldier's request to be relieved from active duty can be accepted only if he is mentally unfit to fight. Any soldier, however, who has the sense to ask to be spared the horrors of war is obviously mentally sound, and therefore must stay to fight.

Figuratively, a “catch-22” is any absurd arrangement that puts a person in a double bind: for example, a person can't get a job without experience, but can't get experience without a job.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Catch-22¹

From a military regulation in a novel of the same name (1961) by U.S. novelist Joseph Heller (1923–99)

Word History and Origins

Origin of Catch-22¹

C20: from the title of a novel (1961) by the US writer J. Heller (1923–99)

Idioms and Phrases

A no-win dilemma or paradox, similar to damned if I do, damned if I don't. For example, You can't get a job without experience, but you can't get experience unless you have a job—it's Catch-22. The term gained currency as the title of a 1961 war novel by Joseph Heller, who referred to an Air Force rule whereby a pilot continuing to fly combat missions without asking for relief is regarded as insane, but is considered sane enough to continue flying if he does make such a request.

Example Sentences

“The cross currents around next week’s earnings set up a Catch-22 for the AI complex,” he said in a recent earnings preview.

Read more on Barron's

The catch-22 is that while stem cell transplants can prevent this failure, the usual preparative chemotherapy or radiation can cause severe complications or even cancer.

Read more on Science Daily

It’s kind of a catch-22 because we’re so exhausted and tired that, what do we do?

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The order also has a cute catch-22 built in by requiring only certain voting machines and new standards be used — except they aren’t available, which automatically opens the door to challenges on the basis of compromised machines.

Read more on Salon

But you are in a catch-22 situation.

Read more on MarketWatch

When To Use

What does Catch-22 mean?

Coming from the novel of the same name, a Catch-22 is a situation where one is trapped by two contradictory conditions. It's more generally used to refer to a paradox or dilemma.Example: to get a certain job, you need work experience. But to get that work experience, you need to have had a job. It’s a Catch-22.